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frijolhead · 01-15-2021, 10:32 PM

Erik Andrews has a most interesting life. Well, not really. He’s just a regular guy trying to make it in the hockey world. He’s entering the Season 59 SMJHL Draft and wants to prove to the hockey realm that he has what it takes to enter the hall of fame someday. What’s really interesting about his life is his origin story. It begins in the summer of 1988, long before Erik was born.

Patrick Andrews was a humble car mechanic from Trumbull, Connecticut, back in the 80s. He stayed in his hometown for quite a while, living near his childhood home and often hanging out with his brother Garrett. The two had a strong bond, and they both loved sports. However, they both decided to pursue other career paths after high school- Garrett becoming an accountant and Pat becoming a mechanic. While Garrett was happy to remain in Trumbull his entire life (he still lives there to this day), Patrick wanted to leave someday. He wanted to travel the world once he had enough money- just leave it all behind and get out.

And, eventually, he did. With a bit of help from a girl named Amy.

Amy had pretty much the same backstory as Pat- a girl from Trumbull who, one day, wanted to leave her hometown and just travel the whole wide world. The two met when Amy’s car needed an oil change. They hit it off immediately and later that day Pat asked Amy on a date. She said yes.

That was in 1988. Three years later, Pat proposed to Amy. The two had a beautiful wedding ceremony in New York City. After a while, Pat and Amy grew bored of their normal lives. They wanted to spice it up a bit. And by a bit… I mean a lot.

In August of 1991, just 3 months after their wedding, they packed their things and moved to Prague, Czechoslovakia. Pat and Amy did not know a word of Czech, and yet they uprooted their lives to go there anyway. They live there to this day.

15 years had passed since Pat and Amy had moved to Prague. They had learned the language and had become contributing members of the community. But they wanted to start a family in the hustling, bustling Chzech city. Naturally, they decided to have a kid. That kid was Erik Andrews.

Erik was born and raised in Prague, and fell in love with hockey the instant he put on a pair of ice skates. He picked up the Czech language quickly and by the age of 8 had become fluent in both Czech and English. This was also when he started playing hockey around Europe.

Originally a Center, Erik was very proficient as a speedy, agile, and deke-heavy puck handler who was much more well-versed in a good between the legs goal than he was with a slapshot. Eventually, though, Erik’s coach decided to put him at right wing, and this is where he shined the brightest. At the wing, Erik was a stud, constantly putting up multi-point games as he began to become the king of youth hockey in Czechia. By the time he was 14 years old, Erik was getting noticed internationally for his prowess on the ice. So naturally, the hockey capital of the world came calling.

In 2020, the Andrews family relocated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to advance Erik’s hockey career. Pat and Amy were willing to make a big sacrifice to help Erik recognize his dreams of becoming a hockey player. While Pat and Amy would be returning to Prague once Erik got drafted in the Season 59 Simulation Major Junior Hockey League draft, for now, they were all in on relocating to Toronto. This is where Erik was able to improve his game drastically- and it also served as a reality check.

Erik was a youth hockey god in Prague. He dominated the leagues and he was one of the best youth hockey players in the world. Now, he was in Canada, where competition is top tier and slacking off means an opportunity lost. Erik expected to dominate, but he failed in his first year. He had a low amount of points, and got demoted from first line to third in a matter of weeks. At the end of the season, he had a puny 12 points and felt like shit. He wasn’t the player he was before.

Over the summer, Erik and his parents traveled from Toronto to Trumbull to hang out with the rest of the family. Erik had been down to Trumbull a lot, usually going down there in August and chilling with his cousin Sam.

Both Sam and Erik had professional sports dreams. Sam is a bit older, 2 years Erik’s senior, and he wanted to play baseball throughout his formative years. Ultimately, this dream was realized- Sam is now playing for the Kansas City Hepcats in the Minor League Pro Baseball Experience and is a prospect for the Vancouver Vandals. But I digress. The two were having a talk about their sporting endeavors, and while Sam was doing well as a baseball player, Erik… was not.

Erik ranted for a solid twenty minutes about his shortcomings and how he was considering quitting hockey entirely. He complained about his lack of time on the ice and how he was a failure at hockey. He was not mad at his coaches, or his teammates, rather he was mad at himself. He was the one to blame. He had uprooted his family to go to Canada just for him to suck at hockey. He was at fault. He was nothing.

After a long rant, Sam Andrews decided to give Erik some advice. Advice that Erik held on to for the rest of his life.

“Sometimes you just have to put your head down and fight through it,” Sam had said. “The journey may be long, rough, and filled with blood, sweat, and tears, but in the end, you’ll be happy you went through it all.”

Erik took this advice to heart. Upon returning to Canada, he became a new version of himself. Any time he wasn’t studying or doing stuff with family, he was at the ice rink. Sometimes he would stay after the lights went out, skating in pitch black. When Erik was watching SHL games, he would call his coaches up to see if they knew how to do a trick, or run that kind of offense. Erik lived and breathed hockey. He was a machine.

Soon enough, Erik became the star of his Toronto youth team. His days of 0 point games were behind him. He was a first line right winger and a youth hockey phenom once again. And 4 years after that talk with his cousin Sam, Erik is now ready to become a member of the SMJHL. He will represent the Czech Republic in international competitions.

The future is bright for Erik Andrews. He’s ready for the SMJHL. The real question is, is the SMJHL ready for him?

1,179 Words

ACapitalChicago · 01-15-2021, 10:50 PM

Hey there, good article! Nice work, can't wait to see how you turn out!

S66 Damian Littleton

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caltroit_red_flames · 01-15-2021, 11:56 PM

I'd have a drink with Patrick, sounds like a class act

frijolhead · 01-16-2021, 12:02 AM

01-15-2021, 11:56 PMcaltroit_red_flames Wrote: I'd have a drink with Patrick, sounds like a class act

he definitely is!

nyumbayangu · 01-17-2021, 11:25 AM

The Whalers have made me watch Gilmore Girls as part of team bonding. It has been a fascinating look into human culture. This reminds me of Gilmore Girls.

frijolhead · 01-17-2021, 12:28 PM

01-17-2021, 11:25 AMnyumbayangu Wrote: The Whalers have made me watch Gilmore Girls as part of team bonding. It has been a fascinating look into human culture. This reminds me of Gilmore Girls.

is this a compliment? if it is... thank you!

LordBirdman · 01-17-2021, 01:36 PM

Future looks bright for Erik Andrews if he can maintain this level of dedication to the game!

Henrik · 01-17-2021, 06:15 PM

01-17-2021, 12:28 PMfrijolhead Wrote:
01-17-2021, 11:25 AMnyumbayangu Wrote: The Whalers have made me watch Gilmore Girls as part of team bonding. It has been a fascinating look into human culture. This reminds me of Gilmore Girls.
is this a compliment? if it is... thank you!

Being compared to the Gilmore Girls is definitely a complement. At least in my book!

frijolhead · 01-17-2021, 06:36 PM

01-17-2021, 06:15 PMThatguy91 Wrote:
01-17-2021, 12:28 PMfrijolhead Wrote: is this a compliment? if it is... thank you!

Being compared to the Gilmore Girls is definitely a complement. At least in my book!

yay!

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